2020 trends and innovations in the healthcare industry

With 2020 now upon us, our leadership team share their thoughts on the healthcare trends likely to develop and what we can expect to see in the year ahead.

Craig Drummond – CEO
Healthcare will become less hospital-centric, with other models of care becoming more commonplace and accepted. It’s unsustainable to keep building hospitals when there are other more cost-effective options that can deliver the same or better health outcomes. In-home care is a more affordable way to deliver care and it is often preferred by patients, so changing funding to become patient-centred rather than care setting centred is critical, as currently health insurers are generally prevented from funding care outside the hospital.

I’m looking forward to working with all leaders across the health sector to move forward in tackling the affordability challenge in Australian healthcare so that it is sustainable for future generations.

Dr Andrew Wilson, Group Executive Healthcare and Strategy
We’re excited about the prospect to lead real change in our health system by focussing on our goal to build Australia’s largest ‘virtual hospital’ - a group of programs and services that bring hospital care into customers’ homes. We will be scaling up our joint replacement short stay project so that more customers can get home either on the same day or soon after following a hip or knee replacement surgery. Where clinically appropriate, post-operative recovery and rehabilitation programs are then delivered at the customer’s home by clinicians.

John Goodall – Group Executive, Technology and Operations
The growing momentum behind hospital in the home services, across both the public and private sector, is going to drive demand for technology to support these services. I’m hopeful that in 2020 we will see much needed innovation, not only in the applications and devices required to deliver those services but also in the way we integrate all of those technologies, so that a holistic view of the patient is maintained and considered in every interaction.

David Koczkar, Chief Customer Officer
In 2020, we’ll see our customers having access to more personalised support and have greater opportunity to be recognised and rewarded to achieve their individual health goals. There will be a greater focus on preventative health, as well as giving customer more choice of health solutions to better meet their individual needs, including where they receive their treatment. We want to recognise and reward our customers for taking healthy actions through the Live Better Rewards Program. We will also continue to have conversations with our customers to ensure they’re getting the most of out of their cover, to assist them navigate the health system and ensure that their policy meets the needs of them and their family.

Kylie Bishop, Group Executive, People and Culture
We’ll continue to see an increasing focus on an organisation’s values and purpose, with more and more candidates actively seeking out those companies that are most aligned. Organisations are also starting to understand that health services and support are a critical part of their health and wellbeing framework - mental health will continue to be a focal point and we’ll also start to see more digital offerings in physical health like virtual GP consultations.

Dr Linda Swan, Chief Medical Officer
With one in five Australians now experiencing mental health issues every given year, in 2020 Medibank will be expanding our mental health support for customers as well as continuing to be actively involved in the national mental health agenda. Acute mental health care has been traditionally institutionalised, but this is not always an effective way from both a care and cost point of view. We need to look at treatment in alternative settings such as community care or care in the home.